Barrier Devices and Related Methods

ABSTRACT

A barrier device includes a horizontal portion formed of a polymer, the horizontal portion having a largest substantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface. The barrier device includes a vertical portion formed of a polymer and coupled with the horizontal portion, the vertical portion forming a substantially ninety-degree angle relative to the horizontal portion, the vertical portion having a largest substantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface. In implementations the thickness of the vertical portion is substantially equal to the thickness of the horizontal portion. A width of the horizontal portion, perpendicular to the vertical portion, is shorter than a height of the vertical portion perpendicular to the horizontal portion—in some cases no more than one third or one fifth its size. In implementations the barrier device may be used to protect an installed baseboard.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This document claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application No. 63/262,296, entitled “Barrier Devices and RelatedMethods,” naming as first inventor Anthony Michael Shields, which wasfiled on Oct. 8, 2021, the disclosure of which is hereby incorporatedentirely herein by reference.

BACKGROUND 1. Technical Field

Aspects of this document relate generally to protective barriers forbaseboards and other items.

2. Background Art

Many homes and buildings include baseboards running along the bottoms ofwalls near floors, door frames, and other similar items. Such baseboardsand door frames and other items often get scuffed, stained, nicked, orotherwise marred during activities such as carpet installation orremoval, wall painting or paint removal, floor or wall tile installationor removal, floor laminate installation or removal, wallpaperinstallation or removal, and other activities that occur near thebaseboards or other items. There therefore exists a need to protect thebaseboards and other items from damage during these and otheractivities.

SUMMARY

Implementations of barrier devices may include: a horizontal portionformed of a polymer, the horizontal portion having a largestsubstantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to itslargest substantially planar surface; and a vertical portion formed of apolymer and coupled with the horizontal portion, the vertical portionforming a substantially 90-degree angle relative to the horizontalportion, the vertical portion having a largest substantially planarsurface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantiallyplanar surface; wherein the thickness of the vertical portion issubstantially equal to the thickness of the horizontal portion; andwherein a width of the horizontal portion, perpendicular to the verticalportion, is shorter than a height of the vertical portion perpendicularto the horizontal portion.

Implementations of barrier devices may include one or more or all of thefollowing:

The vertical portion may include at least two slits at least partiallydefining a tab.

The tab may be configured to allow the barrier device to attach to asecond barrier device.

The tab may be configured to interlock with a tab of the second barrierdevice.

The at least two slits may each have a length no greater than twoinches.

All slits formed in the vertical portion, including the at least twoslits, may be of equal length.

The vertical portion may have at least four slits (including the atleast two slits). Two of the at least four slits may be on a first sideof the barrier device. Two of the at least four slits may be on a secondside of the barrier device opposite the first side.

Each of the at least two slits may have a longest length substantiallyparallel with a longest length of the vertical portion.

The vertical portion may have an opening therein sized sufficientlylarge to receive a user's hand and configured to be used as a handle.

The horizontal portion may be configured to fit between an installedbaseboard and a surface beneath a bottom of the installed baseboard,while the vertical portion covers a front of the installed baseboard, toprotect the installed baseboard.

The barrier device may be flexible enough to allow elastic deformationsuch that the formed angle can be manually adjusted from 60 degrees to120 degrees. After such manual adjustment, the formed angle mayautomatically revert back to a resting position of substantially 90degrees.

The width of the horizontal portion may be no more than one third theheight of the vertical portion.

The width of the horizontal portion may be no more than one fifth theheight of the vertical portion.

A surface area of the largest substantially planar surface of thehorizontal portion may be smaller than a surface area of the largestsubstantially planar surface of the vertical portion.

The surface area of the largest substantially planar surface of thehorizontal portion may be no more than one third the surface area of thelargest substantially planar surface of the vertical portion.

The surface area of the largest substantially planar surface of thehorizontal portion may be no more than one fifth the surface area of thelargest substantially planar surface of the vertical portion.

The vertical portion may have a substantially rectangular shape. Thehorizontal portion may have a substantially rectangular shape.

Implementations of barrier devices may consist of: a polymer having ahorizontal portion and a vertical portion, the horizontal portion beingsubstantially rectangular and the vertical portion being substantiallyrectangular; one or more slits formed in the vertical portion and atleast partially defining at least one tab; and an opening through thevertical portion sized large enough to receive a user's hand and to beused as a handle; wherein the vertical portion forms an 80-degree to100-degree angle relative to the horizontal portion; wherein thehorizontal portion has a largest substantially planar surface and athickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface;wherein the vertical portion has a largest substantially planar surfaceand a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantially planarsurface; wherein the thickness of the vertical portion is substantiallyequal to the thickness of the horizontal portion; wherein a width of thehorizontal portion, perpendicular to the vertical portion, is shorterthan a height of the vertical portion perpendicular to the horizontalportion; and wherein the horizontal portion is configured to fit betweenan installed baseboard and a surface beneath a bottom of the installedbaseboard, while the vertical portion covers a front of the installedbaseboard, to protect the installed baseboard.

Implementations of methods of barrier device use may include: placing ahorizontal portion of a first barrier device between an installedbaseboard and a surface beneath a bottom of the installed baseboard suchthat a vertical portion of the first barrier device, coupled with thehorizontal portion at an angle between 80-100 degrees, covers a front ofthe installed baseboard; installing a floor covering on the surface,such that a portion of the floor covering resides between the surfaceand the horizontal portion, while the vertical portion covers the frontof the installed baseboard; and after installing the floor covering,removing the horizontal portion from between the installed baseboard andthe floor covering; wherein the horizontal portion and the verticalportion are each formed of a polymer; and wherein the horizontal portionand the vertical portion are each substantially rectangular.

Implementations of methods of barrier device use may include one or moreor all of the following:

The method may include interlocking the first barrier device with asecond barrier device, at least partially by using a tab of the firstbarrier device, the tab at least partially formed by a plurality ofslits in the vertical portion.

General details of the above-described implementations, and otherimplementations, are given below in the DESCRIPTION, the DRAWINGS, theCLAIMS, and the ABSTRACT.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Implementations will be discussed hereafter using reference to theincluded drawings, briefly described below, wherein like designationsrefer to like elements. The drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale.

FIG. 1 is a rear, right-side partial perspective view of animplementation of a barrier device (barrier);

FIG. 2 is a rear, right-side partial perspective view of the barrier ofFIG. 1 and a baseboard;

FIG. 3 is a rear, right-side, close-up view of the barrier and baseboardof FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 4 is a close-up front view of a portion of the barrier of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 5 is a right-side view of the barrier of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 6 is a right-side view of the barrier and baseboard of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 7 is a bottom, front, right-side, close-up, partial see-throughview of a left-side portion of the barrier and baseboard of FIG. 2 ;

FIG. 8 is a bottom, front, right-side, close-up view of a left-sideportion of the barrier of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 9 is a rear, right-side perspective view of another implementationof a barrier device (barrier);

FIG. 10 is a front view of an environment of use including an installeddoor frame and an installed baseboard; and

FIG. 11 is a front view of a plurality of barriers installed to protectthe door frame and baseboard of FIG. 10 .

DESCRIPTION

Implementations/embodiments disclosed herein (including those notexpressly discussed in detail) are not limited to the particularcomponents or procedures described herein. Additional or alternativecomponents, assembly procedures, and/or methods of use consistent withthe intended barrier devices and related methods may be utilized in anyimplementation. This may include any materials, components,sub-components, methods, sub-methods, steps, and so forth.

Implementations of barrier devices (barriers) relate to devices used toprovide a protective barrier for a baseboard and/or for other items.

Referring now to FIGS. 1-8 , a first implementation of a barrier device(barrier) 100 is shown. FIG. 1 shows a rear, right-side perspective viewof the barrier. The barrier includes a vertical portion 102 whichincludes a plurality of tabs 104. Each tab is at least partially definedand facilitated by two slits 106 in a side of the vertical portion. Theslits could also be referred to as slots in implementations. Thevertical portion includes an opening or handle 108 therein at orproximate a center of the vertical portion. A horizontal portion 110 iscoupled with the vertical portion and forms a degree of (or of about)ninety degrees relative to the vertical portion. In implementations“about ninety degrees” or “substantially ninety degrees” as used hereinmeans a range between and including eighty to one hundred degrees. Inimplementations the horizontal portion and vertical portion form anangle relative to one another of, or of about: eighty-one degrees toninety-nine degrees; eighty-two degrees to ninety-eight degrees;eighty-three degrees to ninety-seven degrees; eighty-four degrees toninety-six degrees; eighty-five degrees to ninety-five degrees;eighty-six degrees to ninety-four degrees; eighty-seven degrees toninety-three degrees; eighty-eight degrees to ninety-two degrees; andeighty-nine degrees to ninety-one degrees.

The barrier device may be formed of any material such as a metal,polymer, composite, and so forth. In the implementations shown in thedrawings it is formed of a polymer. The vertical and horizontal portionscould be formed separately and attached together, in implementations. Inother implementations the vertical and horizontal portions are formedfrom a single unitary piece of material. For example the entire barriercould be extruded in the general shape shown in the drawings, with theabout ninety-degree angle formed therein, and the slots and handle couldbe cut or stamped out. In other implementations the barrier could bemolded in the shape and configuration shown in the drawings, with thebend between the horizontal and vertical portions present, and with theslits and handle formed therein during the molding process.

In implementations a living hinge could be formed between the horizontaland vertical portions, or in other words the material between thevertical and horizontal portions could be thinner than the rest of thematerial, to allow some bending and flexibility of the horizontalportion relative to the vertical portion. This may be useful forsituations in which a perfect ninety-degree angle is not preferred or isnot as useful for protecting a specific baseboard or other element. Insome instances, however, a ninety-degree angle is preferred.Accordingly, in implementations, as in the versions shown in thedrawings, the horizontal portion and vertical portion do not have aliving hinge therebetween, but are relatively fixed in rigid positionsrelative to one another, to maintain the ninety-degree (or aboutninety-degree) angle in a resting position though still havingflexibility allowing for some elastic bending as discussed above.

The tabs are useful to allow the alignment and interlocking of multiplebarriers at their sides for protection of a longer portion of abaseboard or the like. To accomplish this, two barriers are simplymanually slid so that the vertical portion of a first barrier is infront of the vertical portion of a second barrier, and so that thehorizontal portion of the first barrier is on top of the horizontalportion of the second barrier, but the tab of the first barrier is slidbehind the tab of the second barrier, with the slots aligned. Inimplementations a friction fit may keep the two interlocked barrierscoupled together until they are manually separated again by a user.

Some example dimensions for barrier implementations are givenbelow—these are only example dimensions and other dimensions could beused. However, these dimensions are considered useful for keeping thebarrier simple and of a convenient size for use in a variety ofsituations and circumstances. Referring to FIG. 1 , the barrier may havea thickness 103 j of, or of about, 800 microns (or 0.023 inch).Referring to FIG. 5 , the horizontal portion may have a width 103 k of,or of about, 1.5 inches. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 5 , the verticalportion may have a height 103 a of, or of about, 10 inches. A height 103b from a bottom of the horizontal portion (or, in implementations, fromthe top of the horizontal portion) and the lower slit may be, or may beabout, 2.5 inches. The slits may have lengths 103 i and 103 h of, or ofabout, 0.5 inch, and widths 103 e and 103 f of, or of about, 0.125 inch.A height 103 c from the top of the lower slit to the bottom of the upperslit may be, or may be about, 4.75 inches. A height 103 d from a top ofthe top slit to a top edge of the vertical portion may be, or may beabout, 2.5 inches. A total length 103 g of the barrier may be variable,meaning that the length may be varied according to the desiredimplementation. In some cases a plurality of barriers may come in a kitof different lengths 103 g. In some cases a user may purchase customlengths 103 g of the barriers as desired.

As used above, the term “about” for dimensions may in implementationsmean: 50%, 51%, 52%, 53%, 54%, 55%, 56%, 57%, 58%, 59%, 60%, 61%, 62%,63%, 64%, 65%, 66%, 67%, 68%, 69%, 70%, 71%, 72%, 73%, 74%, 75%, 76%,77%, 78%, 79%, 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, 90%,91%, 92%, 93%, 94%, 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 100%, 101%, 102%, 103%,104%, 105%, 106%, 107%, 108%, 109%, 110%, 111%, 112%, 113%, 114%, 115%,116%, 117%, 118%, 119%, 120%, 121%, 122%, 123%, 124%, 125%, 126%, 127%,128%, 129%, 130%, 131%, 132%, 133%, 134%, 135%, 136%, 137%, 138%, 139%,140%, 141%, 142%, 143%, 144%, 145%, 146%, 147%, 148%, 149%, 150%, 151%,152%, 153%, 154%, 155%, 156%, 157%, 158%, 159%, 160%, 161%, 162%, 163%,164%, 165%, 166%, 167%, 168%, 169%, 170%, 171%, 172%, 173%, 174%, 175%,176%, 177%, 178%, 179%, 180%, 181%, 182%, 183%, 184%, 185%, 186%, 187%,188%, 189%, 190%, 191%, 192%, 193%, 194%, 195%, 196%, 197%, 198%, 199%,and/or 200% of the identified dimension value, or any other value orrange between 20%-400% of the identified dimension value. Even where“about” or “substantially” are not used herein in reference to anyspecific dimension, any example dimension disclosed herein may have anyof the range percentages, or value percentages, relative to the recitedvalue(s), indicated above. This includes values of “less than,” “equalto or less than,” “greater than,” and “equal to or greater than” any ofthe individual recited percentages, and any range between any of therecited percentages.

While the dimensions for the top and bottom slits are given asidentical, in other implementations they could have different values.Additionally, while the right-side and left-side slits and tabs andassociated dimensions may have identical values (as depicted in thedrawings), in other implementations they could have different values.For example, each right-side top slit could be longer than eachright-side bottom slit by some amount, each left-side top slit couldhave the same length as each right-side bottom slit, and each left-sidebottom slit could have the same length as each right-side top slit, sothat when two barriers are interlocked the total length of theinterlocking top slits (left-side plus right-side) and the total lengthof the interlocking bottom slits (left-side plus right-side) is equal.There are other variations, and this is just one example.

The barrier may be used for a variety of uses. One example use isrepresentatively illustrated in FIG. 2 , where the barrier device isbeing used to protect a baseboard 200, such as a baseboard that runsalong a bottom of a wall in a residential or commercial building. Inpractice the horizontal portion of the barrier may be placed directlybelow (and in contact with) a bottom of the baseboard, but for ease ofviewing all the elements some space is shown between the horizontalportion and the bottom of the baseboard. A back 204 and side 210 of thebaseboard are visible in FIG. 2 .

The barrier is useful for protecting a baseboard during a variety ofcircumstances. As one non-limiting example, when a baseboard is presentin a carpeted room the carpet generally extends underneath the bottom ofthe baseboard (into a gap between the bottom of the baseboard and thefloor), and an installer may have to press the underside of the carpetdown against the baseboard to force the edge of the carpet below thebaseboard. The underside of carpet is extremely rough. During such aprocess the baseboard can be scratched, scuffed, blemished, marred, orotherwise damaged. If the baseboard is finished or painted, such aprocess can remove finishing or paint from the baseboard. The baseboardcan similarly be damaged if carpeting is removed from a room while thebaseboard is in place. Baseboards are similarly subject to damage merelyfrom installers or their tools/implements or other items (ladders,hammers, screwdrivers, nails, glue containers, knives, etc.) bumping orrubbing against them while the installers are working in the room. Thus,in a variety of circumstances, it is useful to protect the baseboard.The barrier is one way to provide such protection.

The shape and thickness of the barrier allows it to be easily slidunderneath the bottom of the baseboard, and pressed up against the frontof the baseboard. This may be done before carpeting is installed, forexample, and later when the carpet is being slid under the bottom of thebaseboard the carpet will press up against the barrier instead of thefront of the baseboard. The baseboard will therefore be protected duringcarpet installation, and after the carpet is fully installed (or locallyinstalled under some section of the baseboard such that the carpet at ornear its edge is underneath the horizontal portion), the barrier may beremoved. In some implementations a single barrier could be used forcarpet installation of an entire room, being occasionally slid along thebaseboard in advance of the uninstalled portions of the carpet and awayfrom portions where the carpet has already been installed under thebaseboard. In this way an installer may use only one barrier to protectthe entire baseboard (or all baseboards) of a room during carpetinstallation. In other implementations an installer could use multiplebarriers, interlocked together with tabs as discussed above, to protecta larger portion (or all) of the baseboard(s) before any portion of thecarpet is placed underneath the baseboard(s).

In implementations the barrier is thin enough that, once the carpet isinstalled underneath the baseboard, the barrier can simply be slid outaway from the wall/baseboard and easily removed. The handle may help theuser have additional leverage during this step and/or while insertingthe barrier under the baseboard and/or while sliding the barrier fromside to side.

While the above example details use of the barrier during carpetinstallation, similar and/or somewhat modified methods may be used forcarpet removal, or floor or wall tile installation or removal, orlaminate installation or removal, or wallpaper installation or removal,and/or so forth, as will be understood and easily practiced by thepractitioner of ordinary skill in the art.

FIG. 3 shows a slightly different and close-up angle, relative to FIG. 2, of the barrier and baseboard—showing the top 206 of the baseboard inaddition to its back and side.

For ease of illustration, while some of the elements of the figures areshown in perspective view, some are not. For example, in FIGS. 1 and 2the slits/slots 106 are not shown in perspective view, and in FIG. 2 thetop and bottom edges of the baseboard closest to the left side of thepage are not shown in perspective view, while the rest of the elementsare shown in perspective view. For these reasons, FIGS. 1 and 2 aredescribed as being partial perspective views.

FIG. 4 shows a close-up view of the opening or handle. Any shape couldbe used for the opening, but in the implementation shown it is seen tohave a relatively oval general shape with further recessed/roundedportions at each side. Other dimensions are possible, but exampledimensions are: a distance 108 a of, or of about, 1.0 inch from thecentral top of the opening to the top of the vertical portion, a height108 b of, or of about, 1.5 inches, and a width 108 c of, or of about,4.5 inches.

FIG. 5 shows a side view of the barrier. FIG. 6 shows a side view of thebarrier proximate the baseboard, with the side of the baseboard visible.In implementations the horizontal portion may have a width 103 k lessthan a corresponding width of the baseboard, so that the distal edge ofthe horizontal portion does not touch the wall below the baseboard whenthe vertical portion is pushed up against and abuts the front of thebaseboard. In other implementations the horizontal portion may have awidth 103 k greater than the corresponding width of the baseboard sothat the distal edge of the horizontal portion contacts the wall belowthe baseboard before the vertical portion can contact the front of thebaseboard—thus leaving some space between the vertical portion and thefront of the baseboard when the barrier is installed in a protectiveconfiguration.

FIG. 7 shows a front and bottom close-up view of the left side of thebarrier and baseboard, from a right-side angle, with the front 202 andbottom 208 of the baseboard visible. The barrier is shown in transparentfashion so that the baseboard can be more easily seen (for this reasonFIG. 7 is described as being a partial see-through view). In someimplementations the barrier may, in fact, be formed of a transparentpolymer, which may allow the baseboard to remain visible even with thebarrier installed. In other implementations, however, the barrier may beopaque, or it may be translucent without being transparent. FIG. 8 showsthe barrier in the same position (and viewed from the same angle andposition) as FIG. 7 but with the baseboard removed, for reference.

FIGS. 9-11 show another version of a barrier device. Barrier device(barrier) 300 is similar in some ways to barrier 100, having a verticalportion 302 and a horizontal portion 304, and all of the descriptionherein relative to barrier 100 applies to barrier 300 except thatbarrier 300 does not have an opening/handle and does not haveslits/slots to form any tabs. Barrier 300 may nevertheless be used inmuch the same way as barrier 100. When multiple barriers are desired tocover a long length of baseboard, the barriers may simply abut oneanother or slightly overlap at the juncture of the barriers (inimplementations barriers 100 could also simply abut one another or beoverlapped in similar fashion, if desired—use of the tabs forinterlocking is optional).

FIG. 9 shows a rear right-side perspective view of barrier 300.

While a variety of materials may be used, in implementations thebarriers are formed of polypropylene, or polyethylene, or some otherpolymer of sufficient rigidity and sufficient flexibility to retain anabout ninety-degree resting positing but to allow for some elasticbending. From the side the barriers are seen to form an L shape, inimplementations. In implementations forming the barriers out of aflexible polymer allows for some elastic (non-permanent) deformationduring use of the barriers. For example, after a barrier is installedand carpet is installed under the horizontal portion of the barrier (inthe gap between the bottom of the baseboard and the floor), the barriercan in some implementations be removed by a user pressing the verticalsection down so that it is flat (in other words so that it is relativelycoplanar with the horizontal section) and sliding the barrier away fromthe wall and baseboard. This allows for quick removal of the barrierfrom the protective position. In some implementations it is also usefulto remove the barrier with this downward force on the vertical portionin order to further protect the baseboard. A lot of force can be appliedon the front/bottom edge of the baseboard if the barrier is simplypulled away from the baseboard using the handle, or is pulled upward,because the horizontal portion fits pretty tightly between the carpet orother floor covering and the baseboard bottom. Thus, the downward forceon the vertical portion helps to slide the barrier out while alsoapplying downward force on the carpet or floor covering, instead ofupward on the baseboard, to allow the barrier to slide out while notcausing any damage or the like to the baseboard. Once removed, theelasticity of the barrier results in the horizontal portion bending backto the ninety-degree or about ninety-degree angle, by itself, relativeto the vertical portion.

In some instances carpet is installed in a room when the baseboards arefreshly finished (the paint or finishing may be dried, but not cured orhardened). Painted/stained/clear-coated/lacquered/varnished/etc.baseboards can be “soft” and at severe risk of damage during roomrenovations. This risk can be especially prevalent during theinstallation of carpet due to the extremely stiff, sharp, and roughbacking-material of carpet—as well as markings caused by erranttool-strikes. After installing carpet, scratches and tool marks onbaseboards may need to be touched up with paint or finish, especially ina professional setting. Touch up can be costly, both in time and money.The type of finish or paint used, the sheen of the finish or paint, andthe style of application (sprayer, brush, wiping, etc.) can change how,or if, the touchup blends well (or at all). Touchups often producerather ineffective and imperfect results.

The barriers disclosed herein create a protective barrier between thealready-installed baseboard and the carpet during the carpetinstallation process. Prior placement of the barrier in front of thebaseboard to buffer the baseboard and protect against carpet contactwith the baseboard will protect the finished baseboard. Utilization ofthe barriers will prevent inevitable damage to finished baseboardsduring carpet installation and will reduce the need for touchuppainting/finishing during the final stages of remodeling. The barriersthus save time, money, and protect the look of baseboards.

There are uses for the barriers other than to protect baseboards duringcarpeting installation/removal. Baseboards can also be protected during:installation/removal of other flooring/substrates such as wood, tile,laminate flooring, and so forth; or during wallpapering, wall painting,or wall tile installation/removal; or during any work in any room inwhich tools, stain, paint, and any other implements are being used thatcould mar or damage or stain the baseboards or other materials/items.

The barriers can also be placed with the vertical portion flat on afloor to protect the floor while moving heavy wheeled objects across thefloor, or while wheeling heavy objects using a dolly, effectively usingthe barriers as tracks for wheels. For example refrigerators, washers,dryers, desks, and so forth may be transported in such a way that wheelsroll on top of the barriers, the barriers being between the wheels andthe floor, in a way that the floor is protected. This is useful toprotect delicate wood flooring, tiles, and laminate, and can protectagainst staining or marring carpeting, and so forth—and laying thebarriers with the vertical portions flat on the floor provides widertracks for wheels to help protect the floor. The barriers may provideprotection during a baseboard preparation process (such as while sandingthe baseboard or placing spackle on the baseboard, painting or finishingthe baseboard, etc.) by being placed between a painter's knuckles andthe exposed tack-strip that is often present before carpet is installed.This can be done by laying the vertical portion relatively flat, atopthe tack strip, or by laying the barrier so that the top edge of thevertical portion and the distal edge of the horizontal portion touch thefloor and the tack strip is below the barrier and located within thespace formed by the junction between the vertical and horizontalportions. The barriers can also be used by a painter as a quick barrierbetween surfaces (for example instead of tape).

The barriers also aid in carpet installation/removal by reducingfriction/resistance. The folded shape of the barriers, or in other wordsthe L shape, allows the horizontal portion (or “foot”) to provide basesupport for the vertical or upright portion during use, and the flexiblenature of the barrier allows for easy removal after use.

Several variations or options are possible for the barriers, such as:the corners of the barriers could be rounded such as for increasedsafety, the edges could be beveled such as for easier installation andremoval, the polypropylene or polyethylene or other polymer could betranslucent both for aesthetic appeal and so the user can see thebaseboard and/or other protected element and/or see the barrierworking/functioning, a mark/brand or logo or other stylistic elements oreven advertising may be embossed or marked or otherwise placed on thebarrier, and so forth.

The barriers are also useful to protect flooring and/or walls whensanding, painting, or finishing a door without removing the door. Thebarrier could be placed, for example, with the vertical portion flat onthe ground/floor so that any sanded residue, paint, or finish does notcontact the floor. This can protect carpeting, tile, wooden flooring,any other floor material, transitions at doorways between carpeting andhardwood or tile or other flooring, and so forth.

The barriers can also be useful for protecting baseboards when flooringitself is sanded, stained, painted, or otherwise worked on. For examplebaseboards can be protected using the barriers when a wooden floor issanded and re-stained or painted, or while a concrete floor is etchedand then stained to form stained concrete, and so forth.

FIGS. 10 and 11 show another use of the barriers. In FIG. 10 a baseboard200 and a door frame 400 are shown. There is an area below baseboard 200which is a gap between the baseboard and the bare (non-carpeted) floor.In other words the floor in FIG. 10 has no carpet, tile, laminate,etc.—but is the bare concrete or bare subfloor. The door frame is seento extend all the way to the floor, without any gap. In implementationssuch as this, a barrier device may not be able to extend below the doorframe, as there is no gap below it. In other implementations in whichthere is a gap between the bottom of the door frame and the floor, thebarrier can simply be slid underneath the door frame to protect thebottom portion of the door frame in the same way that the baseboard isprotected. For implementations where the door frame reaches all the wayto the floor however, or far enough towards the floor that there is notenough of a gap to slide a horizontal portion of a barrier underneath, aconfiguration such as that of FIG. 11 can be used to protect the lowerportion of the door frame.

In FIG. 11 a barrier 100 is coupled together with a barrier 300. Thefull barrier 100 is not visible but extends beyond the edge of thedrawing. Barrier 300 in FIG. 11 is a short version of a barrier and hasno tabs or handle. Barrier 300 is placed on its side, so that itsvertical portion mates with the tabs 104 of barrier 100, as seen in FIG.11 . The horizontal portion of barrier 300 is on the opposite side ofthe vertical portion as the tabs of barrier 100, and extends towards thedoor, either between the door and the door frame, or otherwise. Becausethe horizontal portion is short, even if it is not situated between thedoor and door frame it may not cause the barrier 300 to be positioned atan awkward or undesired angle relative to the barrier 100. If there werean implementation wherein the position and/or size of the horizontalportion were such that it pushed the barrier 300 to an awkward orundesired angle relative to barrier 100, barrier 300 could instead beflipped so that the horizontal portion extends in the other direction(out of the page instead of into the page). In either case, the abilityto mate two barriers together, one on its side (rotated at aninety-degree angle) for the door frame, allows both the baseboard anddoor frame to be protected. In implementations two barriers 100 could beused in a similar fashion (instead of a barrier 100 and a barrier 300),and if desired one of them could be sized conveniently to cover just alower portion of a door frame, as in FIG. 11 . In other implementationsthe barrier covering the door frame could be longer, extending furtherupwards (such as up to and/or beyond the doorknob or even to the top ofthe door frame), as desired. Because the barriers are in someimplementations formed of flexible polymers, in some implementations auser could cut one or more barriers to desired lengths either to protectdoor frames or baseboards of different lengths, and so forth. Inimplementations two barriers 300 could be used similarly to the barriersof FIG. 11 but without mating the two together (since there would be notabs) by placing the two barriers close to or abutting one another, withone on its side (at a ninety-degree angle relative to the other) toprotect the baseboard and the door frame.

In some implementations the horizontal portions could have slits/notchestherein allowing the vertical portion to be curved inward or outward, asdesired. This may be useful for walls and baseboards that are not fullyflat or planar but which have some overall curvature to them (forexample, an oval-shaped room). It may also be useful for bending abarrier at a corner so that one barrier can protect portions of bothbaseboards forming the corner. In implementations the barrier could beflexible enough to allow the barrier to be rolled up when not in use,and unrolled to be used (the slits/notches in the horizontal portionhelping to facilitating this). In other implementations, a dedicatedcorner barrier piece could include a ninety-degree bend in the verticalportion itself, and a corresponding ninety-degree bend in the horizontalportion itself, in addition to the ninety-degree bend between thehorizontal and vertical portions. These dedicated corner barrier piecescould be shorter than other barriers and meant to cover just acorner-such as extending a half foot or one foot in each direction fromthe corner, or the like. In other implementations a user may simply abuttwo barriers at a corner, one on one baseboard and one on the other, toeffectively protect each of the two baseboards at and near the corner.

It is pointed out that, while the barriers are discussed herein asprotecting baseboards, in some implementations a barrier could alsoprotect a portion of a wall above a baseboard, depending on a height ofthe vertical portion. Some barriers could have an extended verticalportion for this purpose—to protect a lower portion of a wall above abaseboard.

Many other uses for the barriers will be understood by the practitionerof ordinary skill in the art and are intended to be encompassed withinthis disclosure so that the uses and methods are not limited to thespecific examples given herein. The specific examples given herein areonly to provide a few representative examples.

As can be seen from the drawings, the width 103 k of the horizontalportion is shorter than the height 103 a of the vertical portion. It mayalso be said that the width of the horizontal portion, perpendicular tothe vertical portion, is shorter than the height of the vertical portionperpendicular to the horizontal portion. It may also be said that thewidth of the horizontal portion, perpendicular to a largest planarsurface of the vertical portion, is shorter than a height of thevertical portion perpendicular to a largest planar surface of thehorizontal portion. In implementations the said width of the horizontalportion may be anywhere between 70% to 1% the magnitude of the saidheight of the vertical portion or, in other implementations, 69%, 68%,67%, 66%, 65%, 64%, 63%, 62%, 61%, 60%, 59%, 58%, 57%, 56%, 55%, 54%,53%, 52%, 51%, 50%, 49%, 48%, 47%, 46%, 45%, 44%, 43%, 42%, 41%, 40%,39%, 38%, 37%, 36%, 35%, 34%, 33%, 32%, 31%, 30%, 29%, 28%, 27%, 26%,25%, 24%, 23%, 22%, 21%, 20%, 19%, 18%, 17%, 16%, 15%, 14%, 13%, 12%,11%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, or 2% the magnitude of the saidheight of the vertical portion. This includes values of “less than” or“equal to or less than” any of the individual recited percentages, andany range between the recited percentages.

It may also be said that a surface area of a largest planar surface ofthe horizontal portion is smaller than a surface area of a largestplanar surface of the vertical portion (the largest planar surface ofthe horizontal portion would be its underside, which has a slightlylarger surface area than the topside of the horizontal portion visiblein FIG. 1 —and the largest planar surface of the vertical portion wouldbe its front side, which has a slightly larger surface area than therear side of the vertical portion visible in FIG. 1 ). Inimplementations the said largest surface area of the horizontal portionmay be anywhere between 70% to 1% the magnitude of the largest surfacearea of the vertical portion or, in other implementations, 69%, 68%,67%, 66%, 65%, 64%, 63%, 62%, 61%, 60%, 59%, 58%, 57%, 56%, 55%, 54%,53%, 52%, 51%, 50%, 49%, 48%, 47%, 46%, 45%, 44%, 43%, 42%, 41%, 40%,39%, 38%, 37%, 36%, 35%, 34%, 33%, 32%, 31%, 30%, 29%, 28%, 27%, 26%,25%, 24%, 23%, 22%, 21%, 20%, 19%, 18%, 17%, 16%, 15%, 14%, 13%, 12%,11%, 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, or 2% the magnitude of the largestsurface area of the vertical portion. This includes values of “lessthan” or “equal to or less than” any of the individual recitedpercentages, and any range between the recited percentages.

Any relative size dimensions, of lengths or widths or heights or surfaceareas, may be selected so as to be useful for various circumstances. Forinstance, when using the barrier to protect a baseboard, it is usefulfor the horizontal portion to have a width shorter than a height of thevertical portion, and for the largest surface area of the horizontalportion to be smaller than the largest surface area of the verticalportion, so that the barrier fits well against the baseboard whileprotecting it and without overly interfering with other elements (forexample not sticking out from the wall so much that it makes it moredifficult to install or remove carpet, as one example).

In the versions in the drawings the width 103 k of the horizontalportion is less than one-third the height 103 a of the vertical portion,and is further less than one fifth the height 103 a of the verticalportion. In the versions in the drawings the largest surface area of thehorizontal portion is less than one-third the largest surface area ofthe vertical portion, and is further less than one-fifth the largestsurface area of the vertical portion. These size dimensions help withthe usefulness of the device, to allow it to cover a baseboard whilealso not sticking out so far as to hinder a user installing or removingcarpet or the like, as discussed above.

While the slits could have varying lengths, lengths 103 h and 103 i (forboth left-side and right-side slits) that are all identical ensures easeof manufacturing and use. Additionally, lengths 103 h and 103 i that arerelatively short (for example, equal to or less than two inches, orequal to or less than 1.5 inches, or equal to or less than one inch,equal to or less than 0.5 inch, and the like) allows for interlockingwhile not requiring too much length of the barrier devices forinterlocking (thus helping to maximize baseboard coverage of interlockedbarriers). In implementations, only one side (right side or left side)of the barrier device could have slits, and these could be used to matewith a non-slitted edge of another barrier (not unlike how the baseboard100 mates with baseboard 300 in FIG. 11 ). In other implementations, asin FIG. 1 and other figures, both the right side and left side of thebarrier include slits/tabs.

In implementations the vertical portion comprises the same thickness asthe thickness 103 j of the horizontal portion. In other implementationsthe thickness of the vertical portion comprises a thicknesssubstantially equal to the thickness of the horizontal portion.“Substantially equal” is defined herein as at least 80% equal or, inother words, one having a thickness that is at least 80% the thicknessof the other. The thicknesses are measured perpendicular to the largestplanar surfaces of each portion, such that the thickness of the verticalportion is measured perpendicular to a largest planar surface of thevertical portion and the thickness of the horizontal portion is measuredperpendicular to a largest planar surface of the horizontal portion.

As can be seen in the images, in implementations the vertical portionincludes four slits, each of equal length, with two located on the leftside of the barrier and with two on the right side (opposite the leftside) of the barrier in locations and positions symmetric to thelocations and positions of the two slits on the left side (locationshere referring to their vertical placement along the side of thevertical portion and positions referring to the angles of the longestlengths of the slits). As can be seen in the figures, in implementationsthe slits each have a longest length (103 h and 103 i) that is parallelwith a longest length (103 g) of the vertical portion. In otherimplementations they may be substantially parallel, which is definedherein as being no more than twenty degrees offset from perfectperpendicularity.

The vertical portion and horizontal portion are seen to havesubstantially rectangular shapes. A “substantially rectangular” elementis defined herein as an element which has at least 80% of the area ofthe smallest rectangle that would fully circumscribe the element.

As used herein, the term “floor covering” refers to any item used tocover a floor or subsurface, including carpeting, a foam pad materialthat would go beneath carpeting, tile, laminate, a rug, wood flooring,and so forth.

The phrase “largest planar surface” is used herein in a few places.Unless explicitly defined otherwise in any instance, the term “largest”in that phrase refers to planar surfaces of the element itself, and notto planar surfaces of any other element. For example, even though thehorizontal portion is smaller than the vertical portion, the horizontalportion nevertheless has its own “largest planar surface” similar to howthe vertical portion also has its own “largest planar surface.”Additionally, with respect to any element, the phrase “largest planarsurface” is not exclusive—an element having two planar surfaces, each ofwhich have exactly the same surface area, and having no larger planarsurfaces, effectively has two “largest planar surfaces” each of whichmay rightly be called “a largest planar surface” of that element.Finally, “planar surface” refers to any surface that exists in a commonplane—in other words, a flat, two-dimensional plane. The term“substantially planar” may refer to any surface defining a surface areaat least 80% of which exists in a single, flat, two-dimensional plane.Accordingly, a “largest substantially planar surface” refers to thelargest surface of an element which is at least substantially planar—inother words, at least 80% of its surface area lies in a single, flat,two-dimensional plane. In the example barrier devices in the drawingsthe largest planar surface of the vertical portion lies in a single,flat, two-dimensional plane and the largest planar surface of thehorizontal portion similarly lies in another single, flat,two-dimensional plane. Such surfaces are accordingly both “largestplanar surfaces” and “largest substantially planar surfaces,” as thoseterms are defined herein.

In places where the phrase “one of A and B” is used herein, including inthe claims, wherein A and B are elements, the phrase shall have themeaning “A and/or B.” This shall be extrapolated to as many elements asare recited in this manner, for example the phrase “one of A, B, and C”shall mean “A, B, and/or C,” and so forth. To further clarify, thephrase “one of A, B, and C” would include implementations having: Aonly; B only; C only; A and B but not C; A and C but not B; B and C butnot A; and A and B and C.

In places where the description above refers to specific implementationsof barrier devices and related methods, one or more or manymodifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scopethereof. Details of any specific implementation/embodiment describedherein may, wherever possible, be applied to any other specificimplementation/embodiment described herein. The appended claims are toencompass within their scope all such changes and modifications as arewithin the true spirit and scope of this disclosure.

Furthermore, in the claims, if a specific number of an element isintended, such will be explicitly recited, and in the absence of suchexplicit recitation no such limitation exists. For example, the claimsmay include phrases such as “at least one” and “one or more” tointroduce claim elements. The use of such phrases should not beconstrued to imply that the introduction of any other claim element bythe indefinite article “a” or “an” limits that claim to only one suchelement, and the same holds true for the use in the claims of definitearticles.

Additionally, in places where a claim below uses the term “first” asapplied to an element, this does not imply that the claim requires asecond (or more) of that element—if the claim does not explicitly recitea “second” of that element, the claim does not require a “second” ofthat element. Furthermore, in some cases a claim may recite a “second”or “third” or “fourth” (or so on) of an element, and this does notnecessarily imply that the claim requires a first (or so on) of thatelement—if the claim does not explicitly recite a “first” (or so on) ofthat element (or an element with the same name, such as “a widget” and“a second widget”), then the claim does not require a “first” (or so on)of that element.

Method steps disclosed anywhere herein, including in the claims, may beperformed in any feasible/possible order. Recitation of method steps inany given order in the claims or elsewhere does not imply that the stepsmust be performed in that order unless they are explicitly required beperformed in that order—such claims and descriptions are intended tocover the steps performed in any order except any orders which aretechnically impossible or not feasible. However, in some implementationsmethod steps may be performed in the order(s) in which the steps arepresented herein, including any order(s) presented in the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A barrier device, comprising: a horizontalportion formed of a polymer, the horizontal portion having a largestsubstantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to itslargest substantially planar surface; and a vertical portion formed of apolymer and coupled with the horizontal portion, the vertical portionforming a substantially 90-degree angle relative to the horizontalportion, the vertical portion having a largest substantially planarsurface and a thickness perpendicular to its largest substantiallyplanar surface; wherein the thickness of the vertical portion issubstantially equal to the thickness of the horizontal portion; andwherein a width of the horizontal portion, perpendicular to the verticalportion, is shorter than a height of the vertical portion perpendicularto the horizontal portion.
 2. The barrier device of claim 1, wherein thevertical portion further comprises at least two slits at least partiallydefining a tab.
 3. The barrier device of claim 2, wherein the tab isconfigured to allow the barrier device to attach to a second barrierdevice.
 4. The barrier device of claim 3, wherein the tab is configuredto interlock with a tab of the second barrier device.
 5. The barrierdevice of claim 2, wherein the at least two slits each have a length nogreater than two inches.
 6. The barrier device of claim 2, wherein allslits formed in the vertical portion, including the at least two slits,are of equal length.
 7. The barrier device of claim 2, wherein thevertical portion comprises at least four slits including the at leasttwo slits, wherein two of the at least four slits are on a first side ofthe barrier device and two of the at least four slits are on a secondside of the barrier device opposite the first side.
 8. The barrierdevice of claim 2, wherein each of the at least two slits comprises alongest length substantially parallel with a longest length of thevertical portion.
 9. The barrier device of claim 1, wherein the verticalportion further comprises an opening therein sized sufficiently large toreceive a user's hand and configured to be used as a handle.
 10. Thebarrier device of claim 1, wherein the horizontal portion is configuredto fit between an installed baseboard and a surface beneath a bottom ofthe installed baseboard, while the vertical portion covers a front ofthe installed baseboard, to protect the installed baseboard.
 11. Thebarrier device of claim 1, wherein the barrier device is flexible enoughto allow elastic deformation such that the formed angle can be manuallyadjusted from 60 degrees to 120 degrees and wherein, after such manualadjustment, the formed angle will automatically revert back to a restingposition of substantially 90 degrees.
 12. The barrier device of claim 1,wherein the width of the horizontal portion is no more than one thirdthe height of the vertical portion.
 13. The barrier device of claim 12,wherein the width of the horizontal portion is no more than one fifththe height of the vertical portion.
 14. The barrier device of claim 1,wherein a surface area of the largest substantially planar surface ofthe horizontal portion is smaller than a surface area of the largestsubstantially planar surface of the vertical portion.
 15. The barrierdevice of claim 14, wherein the surface area of the largestsubstantially planar surface of the horizontal portion is no more thanone third the surface area of the largest substantially planar surfaceof the vertical portion.
 16. The barrier device of claim 15, wherein thesurface area of the largest substantially planar surface of thehorizontal portion is no more than one fifth the surface area of thelargest substantially planar surface of the vertical portion.
 17. Thebarrier device of claim 1, wherein the vertical portion comprises asubstantially rectangular shape and the horizontal portion comprises asubstantially rectangular shape.
 18. A barrier device, consisting of: apolymer having a horizontal portion and a vertical portion, thehorizontal portion being substantially rectangular and the verticalportion being substantially rectangular; one or more slits formed in thevertical portion and at last partially defining at least one tab; and anopening through the vertical portion sized large enough to receive auser's hand and to be used as a handle; wherein the vertical portionforms an 80-degree to 100-degree angle relative to the horizontalportion; wherein the horizontal portion comprises a largestsubstantially planar surface and a thickness perpendicular to itslargest substantially planar surface; wherein the vertical portioncomprises a largest substantially planar surface and a thicknessperpendicular to its largest substantially planar surface; wherein thethickness of the vertical portion is substantially equal to thethickness of the horizontal portion; wherein a width of the horizontalportion, perpendicular to the vertical portion, is shorter than a heightof the vertical portion perpendicular to the horizontal portion; andwherein the horizontal portion is configured to fit between an installedbaseboard and a surface beneath a bottom of the installed baseboard,while the vertical portion covers a front of the installed baseboard, toprotect the installed baseboard.
 19. A method of barrier device use,comprising: placing a horizontal portion of a first barrier devicebetween an installed baseboard and a surface beneath a bottom of theinstalled baseboard such that a vertical portion of the first barrierdevice, coupled with the horizontal portion at an angle between 80-100degrees, covers a front of the installed baseboard; installing a floorcovering on the surface, such that a portion of the floor coveringresides between the surface and the horizontal portion, while thevertical portion covers the front of the installed baseboard; and afterinstalling the floor covering, removing the horizontal portion frombetween the installed baseboard and the floor covering; wherein thehorizontal portion and the vertical portion are each formed of apolymer; and wherein the horizontal portion and the vertical portion areeach substantially rectangular.
 20. The method of claim 19, furthercomprising interlocking the first barrier device with a second barrierdevice, at least partially by using a tab of the first barrier device,the tab at least partially formed by a plurality of slits in thevertical portion.